Chapter 759
Chapter 759
The hands of Clopeh Sekka were shaking.
His hand that was holding the automatic video storage device was filled with strength.
'What am I seeing right now?'
Before the others could arrive, he moved faster than everyone in order to install the automatic video storage devices in the last place of the temple.
'Something great will happen here!'1
He was certain and did not doubt it. This was the last room of the temple. Clopeh was sure that Cale Henituse would reach his final peak as a hero here.
'Bang!'
The door suddenly opened then.
And red light shot out of the sculpture carved on the wall, which had been silent at the time Clopeh was moving.
The light contained an ominous feeling that reminded Clopeh of the red eyes he saw when he escaped the last illusion test – anger.
Everything had happened suddenly.
'Booooooom-!'
Then the red light collided with something and exploded with a roar.
And he could see someone running towards the explosion.
'Cale Henituse...!'
The moment Clopeh noticed who it was, joy filled his eyes. At the same time, questions arose.
'Did you rest well?'
Cale spoke quite warmly towards the explosion.
'Who? Who is resting?'1
For a brief moment, Clopeh thought on why would Cale say something like that. After all, Cale could not have said to Clopeh himself.
"...That!"
Crack.
The automatic video storage device in the hand of Clopeh cracked.
But such a thing did not come into Clopeh's sight. His eyes grew bigger, and the corners of his mouth began to rise.
'It's him.'
Red hair gradually begin to reveal itself in the middle of the explosion.
'White Star.'
He suddenly appeared here.
Bathump. Bathump. Clopeh's heart beat violently.2
Cale Henituse and White Star. The long fight between the two would finally be over.
"...Ah."
He was the only one who would see it.
Clopeh felt his heart was pounding from his intense emotions. The moment his heart raced like that, his eyes turned to the statue.
The red light. It must have been from the god who ran away from the first test.
'How dare you...'
He stared at the statue with cold eyes that was different from the warmth he had a while ago.
Swoosh-
He heard the sound of a whirlwind.
Clopeh turned his gaze.
He met Cale's eyes that had turned bright red.
Cale, whose eyes slightly widened, quickly turned his gaze away from him as he took out the silver shield and sent the whirlwind to White Star.1
Clopeh smiled.
As he expected.
The hero did not bring Clopeh into this fight.
Perhaps because it was dangerous.
Clopeh threw the cracked video storage on the floor and brought his hands together.5
Flutter-!
A red book that unfolded.
And red leaves that wrapped around Cale.
Cale's hair was red like blood.
It was so beautiful.5
'...What is that?'
Clopeh looked at the small black and white dagger with curiosity.
But there was someone here who had a bigger question.
'What the?'
It was Cale.
'Why is Clopeh Sekka here?'
Cale took his eyes off White Star for a moment when he heard the sound of something breaking and rustling, and saw the really scary expression of Clopeh Sekka smiling with his eyes wide open.1
'That damn shitty god !'
That god had told Cale that he was the first to pass the test. That god who said that it was telling the truth and even swore on their godhood was a pure liar.
'It's a good that I didn't believe it.'
He quickly averted his gaze from the scary-looking Clopeh Sekka.
The important thing now was not him.
"Cale Henituse...!"
White Star had just broken out of the golden plaque and was clutching his chest.
'It's going well.'
Cale liked one thing about the current situation.
The White Star that was released from Embrace was not in a perfect condition.
He was forcibly released after being attacked by the red light of the god of despair.
Since the golden plaque was broken and the seal was released, it would be difficult for White Star in the golden plaque to come to his senses immediately.
'This will be easy.'
Cale's body was at its peak condition.
For him who had fought a perfect White Star in the illusion, the White Star who just awakened was not a big problem.
White Star's full body was revealed as the dust from the explosion cleared.
But Cale could see it.
In his bright red eyes, the true state of White Star was revealed.
-Look carefully.
The pages of the diary quickly turned at the voice of Drew Thames.
The red leaves.
Through the fluttering leaves, Cale could see the 'annual rings' drawn on the body of White Star.
It was like a spider web.
Or like the ground that was dry and cracked.
"You dare!"
In an instant, the Sword of Disasters brightly burned in the hand of White Star.
But Cale did not see that.
He only stared at the 'lines' drawn all over the body of White Star.
'I can see it.'
The lines made countless rings.
Big and small. Thin and thick. Rough and smooth.
'Ah.'
Cale held back his exclamation.
Those were time.
All those lines were time.
The countless hours were drawn on the body of White Star.
Time was in various forms as he reincarnated through numerous bodies.
However, the many rings were eventually confined within one large ring.
'That's it.'
A gigantic tree ring that contained so many rings that looked disgusting.
It was quite large, but it was torn here and there, thereby losing its shape.
White Star.
Cale Barrow was his first life.
The ring engraved with his life when he, the last dragon slayer, decided to become White Star, was torn, ripped, and broken over the course of a thousand years.
'A curse is a curse.'
The constant curse of reincarnation given to White Star.
It was truly a curse.
Cale felt that when he saw the ring.
That large ring of White Star would eventually break and shatter if he repeated a few more lives. It would be completely destroyed and lose its function.
When that happened, White Star would no longer be able to maintain himself as White Star when he reincarnates over and over again.
A curse that caused him to lose something precious to him.
The curse created by the god of death was ultimately his last and most precious thing.
It would even make him lose his 'self.'1
'How scary.'
Cale realized the truth of the curse and looked into the eyes of White Star for the first time today.
Swooosh-
The burning Sword of Disasters was headed towards Cale.
Cale did not stop despite seeing the sword. Rather, he approached White Star and stretched out his hand that did not hold a dagger.
Whiiiiir-
The whirlwind blasted out of Cale's hand swiftly. Bang!
The sword and wind collided.
"Ugh."
At the same time, the hand of the White Star that was holding the sword was pushed back by the recoil.
'What's going on?'
White Star was awakened when the seal was suddenly released, so he attacked Cale while trying to calm himself.
Either he kill Cale as fast as he can, or run away from him. Or get the sealed god. Those were the only three options he had left.
His attack was deflected.
He naturally knew that Cale Henituse would counter such an attack.
However, the moment White Star met Cale's eyes that had turned red, he unknowingly felt a chill.
Cale Henituse was looking at him.
But White Star had the feeling that Cale Henituse was not looking at him.
Cale Henituse was looking at something other than White Star.
'What is it?'
White Star did not have the time to question it.
Cale moved his hand again.
Whiiiiir—
Whoosh... Whiiiir...
Whirlwinds were shot towards White Star at a high speed in succession.
"You bastard-!"
White Star who barely stood straight then quickly spread his water wall, but the whirlwind and Cale were faster than that.
Pak!
Pak! Pak!
The whirlwind struck the body of White Star.
At his two feet and hand that was not holding a sword.
The body of White Star spread wide at the recoil.
But White Star did not just stand by idly.
Fwoooosh-
A red boomerang leapt out of the fire in his sword that burned greatly than before, and flew towards Cale who was just a step away from him.
Whiiiiiir—
At the east, west, south, and north. Walls of wind came from all directions, gradually narrowing as it tried to trap Cale.
Swooosh-
Walls of water formed a shield around White Star.
"...I knew it would be like this."
As Cale said that, he let out a small laugh.
"Cale-nim!"
As Cale heard Clopeh Sekka shouting, he felt a warm aura heading towards him.
He did not turn his head.
It was apparent to him that this aura was from the sealed god.
Red light appeared in the statue's eyes once again.
The light seemed like it would shoot at Cale any time.
—Cale, did you know that it would end up like this?
Super Rock asked.
Cale did not bother to answer.
Super Rock gave the answer instead.
—If you block that red light with your shield, White Star will defend himself with the water wall in the meantime. And you will have to spend time blocking the Sword of Disasters and wind walls.
Cale tightened his grip on the dagger.
—Why are you using less of your ancient powers?
—Why are you so calm and relaxed now?
—Why did you pause for a moment, leaving one step between you and White Star? There must be a reason.
Super Rock said a bit sadly.
—The best way in this current situation is to dodge that red light and avoid both the attack and defense of White Star.
Avoid everything and reach White Star.
—You have to be fast.
Cale could be that fast.
—Cale, do you remember what the dragon, Mila, said?
The beige dragon. Dodori's mother, Mila, said as she connected the plate of Cale with her attribute 'connect together.'
'My power... Connect Together is quite useful for putting things together without leaving any traces of it happening. However...'
'Teacher, your plate is large, but it is weak as glass. So, please be careful.'
—The dragon said that.
'There is no next time.'
—There will be no next time.
He knew.
Cale was also very aware of that.
Instant.
Kim Rok Soo's ability to leap through time in 5 seconds.
Cale had no intention on fully using that ability.
'Half a second.'
In his calculations, it would only be 0.5 seconds.
No, it would take less time than that if he used Instant.
Because the distance between White Star and Cale was only one step.
That was enough.
—But if it's just one step, your plate will not break.
He knew.
He knew that, so he was doing this now.
—But all of this is assuming that you do not use your ancient powers when you use 'Instant.'
He knew.
—Just in case, do not use 'Annual Rings of Life.'
He knew that too.
That was why he 'recorded' the rings of White Star in advance.
Cale raised the dagger.
He did not know, but the people who saw the scene thought differently.
'Can he stab White Star with a dagger in that situation? No way, that bastard with that power!'
Alberu Crossman, who was watching outside the temple, eventually stood up. And he blocked the front of Raon, On, and Hong.
Instant. Because he knew what would happen to Cale's body if he used that ability.
And many people outside the temple watched with anxiety, wondering what Cale would do with that.
'What is he going to do!'
Clopeh, who was in the same space inside the temple, ran towards the statue while opening his eyes wide.
He looked unsightly, but did not care as he looked forward to what Cale would do with the mysterious dagger.
And the last person.
'How in the world are you going to attack me with that-'
White Star thought as he moved to straighten his body that had leaned back.
However, he could not finish his thoughts.
'Eh?'
It stopped.
For a moment, he felt that time had stopped.
He felt that way.
Stab!
At the time when Cale stabbed his own chest with a dagger.53
Schwaak-
The dagger which had deeply stabbed Cale's heart was immediately pulled out.
The white and black dagger was brightly shining with the blood of Cale.
In an instant. Cale's time had slowed.
But for others, it went faster than ever.
A lot of things happened in that short moment.
A very short moment that was less than a second.
Cale took a step forward.
Thud.
The diary fell to the floor.
The leaves surrounding Cale and the whirlwind had all disappeared.
Tear—
Cuts appeared in the hand of Cale holding the dagger.
Cuts appeared in the skin of his leg that took a step forward.1
Blood gushed out of the chest stabbed by the dagger.
But the only thing in Cale's eyes was the faint ring. He raised the dagger high.
The dagger that stabbed Cale's heart. His blood flowed down the blade.
Bathump. Bathump. Bathump.
Cale felt the dagger beating.
The dagger was beating like a heart.
And the beating coincided with Cale's heartbeats.
The dagger that had been in a state of suspension was awakened and beat along with Cale's heart.
And the heart that contained regeneration and healing. The heart moved according to its master's will.1
Cale's hand moved.
The weakest and most worn-out point of the largest ring. The point where it passed through the right collarbone of White Star.
Cale thrust the dagger dipped with his blood towards that point.
'What's going on?'
An instant. It was a really short moment for White Star whom he was facing.
At the time he suddenly saw the bleeding Cale Henituse reach in front of him and wondered what was going on.
"... Aack..."
His world turned upside down.
His voice was not loud.
A small groan came out of his mouth.1
He looked down.
A red dagger stabbed his collarbone.
It was originally an insignificant attack that would not even be considered an injury.
But why?
Riiiip-
White Star heard a sound as if something was being ripped apart.
He could not see it, but he realized it.
Because his body lost its strength and his vision shook.
He stretched out his hand.
His trembling hand rested on the hand holding the dagger.
The hand of Cale that was holding the red dagger was also bleeding and trembling.
White Star stared at Cale.
Before he knew it, Cale's red eyes had returned to normal, and the bleeding Cale said to White Star with a calm expression.+
"It's over."3
That was all that he said.